Stay, Please?
by theladyspades
Summary: Johnny snags his wife's attention by giving her an unexpected day off from work as they spend time with their sick and needy little girl.


**Disclaimer: **You know the drill. I don't own the characters, only the plot.

**Author's**** Note:** I'm a couple of days behind on our CageBlade week, whoops. But 6/13 is day 4, **Lazy Day**. Another one-shot from me to you. I hope you guys enjoy this one!

* * *

All of the soldiers' attention turned to the actor walking through the hallways. A man on a mission, Johnny cradles his five-year-old daughter in his arms as she has hers wrapped tightly around his neck. He looks over each office until he reaches the one he's looking for. Readjusting little Cassie in his arms, he raises his hand to knock softly on the door labeled "Lieutenant Colonel Sonya Blade".

In her office, Sonya looks over some documents from a mission in the Maldives when a few soft knocks on the door causes her to look up. She smiles. "Come in," she says in a light voice. The door turns and in walks Johnny carrying Cassie. "Well, hello there Private Punkin!" she coos softly.

Cassie opens her mouth to answer when she's hit with a sudden coughing fit. Rubbing her back, Johnny states, "I gave her medicine, so she's feeling a little better, right Princess?"

"Uh huh Daddy," she rasps quietly. Holding out her hands, she wiggles her fingers and groans, "Mama?"

Unable to resist, Sonya gets up from her desk and walks over to her husband and daughter. "Aww," she murmurs, "mama's here." Sonya takes Cassie in her arms and feels her forehead. "Johnny, she's burning up."

"I know," he answers. With pouting ocean blues, he adds, "I'm hoping that's enough reason for you to come home for a bit. For the day even?"

She drops her shoulders. "You know I have a lot of work to do."

"Please, Mama?" Cassie begs before coughing again. Instinctually, Sonya turns her head away slightly. "My tummy hurts."

She sighs. "All right," she concedes, "let me at least find some people to delegate my work to. It's gotta be done."

"Yay," Cassie whispers.

Johnny mouths "Thank you," to his wife before looking at his pager.

Sonya carries her to her desk and she sits down at it again. She picks up the phone before pressing a button. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Blade. I'll be away for the next few days, so I will need you to step in and finish the paperwork from the Maldives for me. How would you like me to send them to you?" She listens for a few moments, smiling as Cassie fiddles with her dog tags. "Uh huh. I can do that. Thank you, Major." She hangs up and strokes Cassie's hair. "Hey, kiddo, ready to go back home?"

"Yes Mama," she answers with a nod.

"Okay."

"Yes! Tag team Cage for the win," Johnny brags. One sharp glare from Sonya causes his mischievous smirk to fade. "I'm just saying."

Sonya covers Cassie's ears before snapping, "I'll kick your ass from here to Hawaii next time, Johnny."

"Aww," he groans, holding a hand to his heart, "you wound me."

* * *

At the Cage residence a couple of hours later, Sonya tucks Cassie into her bed with her favorite stuffed rabbit. Planting a kiss on her forehead, she tells Cassie, "I'll check on you in a bit, okay sweetheart. Rest for a while." Cassie nods before closing her eyes.

In their room, Johnny lies in bed also under the massive blankets. Sonya chuckles at the sight. "It's nice and toasty," he cajoles her. He pulls out an arm and pats the bed with it. "Come on honey."

She smirks. Having already changed into more comfortable clothing, she hops into bed next to him before pulling the blankets over them once more. She turns on her side so she becomes the little spoon with him. She wouldn't tell him, but she secretly marvels in being held in his protective arms. "Your hands are warm," she compliments him.

"As I said, nice and toasty," he brags. She slaps his arm playfully. "See, isn't this much better than staring at those tiny lettered documents?" Before she has the opportunity to answer, he continues, "At this rate, you're gonna end up needing glasses before you turn forty."

"Shut up, you," she laughs. He chuckles in her ear, and the sound makes her tingle. He presses a kiss to her neck. "I missed you, too," she confesses, taking his not-so-subtle hint. "But we shouldn't. Not just yet. I know how the kiddo gets."

"She's fast asleep, baby," he tells her. She heaves a sigh. He nips at her ear. "Please?"

"You're so cute when you beg," she teases him before flipping around to face him. Throwing a leg around his, she pulls him closer and they kiss. She breaks it apart, turning her ears toward the door. "Did you hear that?"

"What, baby?" Sonya narrows her eyes at Johnny's pet name. "I didn't hear anything, hon."

She sighs again, ready to submit when she faintly hears Cassie calling for her. "I heard that." Johnny groans. "Oh hush, you big baby. I'll be right back." With great effort, she untangles herself from the bed and walks out of their room, her feet padding softly against the carpeted hallway. She gets to Cassie's room again and knocks. "Cassie, sweetheart?"

"Mama?"

She nods. She pushes the door open and observes Cassie staring at her with wide eyes. "What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"My tummy hurts," she complains.

_Wow, she really __**is**__ sick_. Sonya sighs. "Do you want anything to eat? Some soup? Crackers?" Cassie shakes her head. "Do you want mama to rub your tummy?" Cassie nods. So, Sonya rubs Cassie's stomach in soothing circles while the little girl sits up in bed. "A little better?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm." Sonya feels around her stomach and finds it tensing up at her intestines. "Does that hurt?" Cassie shakes her head. Sonya dreads asking the next question but knows it's a necessary evil. "Have you pooped today?" Cassie hesitates but ultimately shakes her head. "Yesterday?"

"Yes."

_Not constipated. Thank God._ "Well, all right," she starts before she's suddenly interrupted by Cassie projectile vomiting on Sonya's arm. "Oh no," she groans. "John!"

A few seconds later, Johnny comes into the room. "Oh…" he says softly, at a loss for words.

Thinking her parents are mad at her, Cassie bursts into tears. "Oh no sweetheart, don't cry. It was an accident." Johnny takes Cassie in his arms and holds her while Sonya wipes the vomit from her arm onto the bedsheet before pulling them fully off the bed. "I'll put these in the wash."

Johnny nods. Sonya leaves the room. He rubs Cassie's back, asking, "Your tummy's acting funny again?" She nods, sniffling into this chest. "That's okay Princess. It happens to the best of us sometimes. It's okay."

"My tummy still hurts," she whines. "I don't like being sick. It's no fun."

"I know, Princess. Anyone who tells you it's fun to be sick is either lying or crazy," he informs her. She giggles. "I'm serious. You _do_ get to have perks, like staying home from school, and laying in bed."

"And juice," she pipes in with.

He nods, agreeing with her. "Can't forget the juice." She smiles at him again. "And bubble baths?" She nods. "It's settled then. You get to take a fun bubble bath."

"Thank you, Daddy."

"Anything for you, my sweet little warrior princess."

She giggles. "You're funny." She pretends to flex her arms. "I am stronger than you think, Daddy."

"I believe it."

* * *

At night, Sonya and Johnny are back in bed huddled next to each other when their door creaks open slowly. Being a relatively light sleeper, Sonya's eyes pop open. "Cassie?"

"Yes, Mama?"

In a lighter voice than she would use on her regular soldiers, she says, "State your business, Private Punkin."

Cassie giggles. "Mama, may I sleep in your bed please?"

Sonya's heart warms at the sweet request, so she can't resist. "Permission granted, kiddo."

Cassie shuffles into the room and does her best to climb onto the bed before Sonya helps her by pulling her up gently. "Thank you."

She automatically climbs over Sonya and throws a hand around Johnny's neck. "Goodnight, Princess," Johnny mutters in his sleep.

"Night night, Daddy. Night night, Mama."

In the morning, Sonya is greeted with a mouthful of Cassie's foot. Making a big show of it, Sonya spits out her toes and teases, "Wow, and for breakfast, I was hoping for some French toast."

Cassie laughs, snorting a little before covering her mouth with both hands. "I make you some!" she brags.

Sonya chuckles. "Oh yeah?"

"Uh huh!" Cassie giggles before covering her mouth to cough. "I cook better than Daddy, right?"

Insulted, Johnny throws a dramatic hand over his head and says, "Ah, you wound me so much, Little Cage."

Cassie gives Johnny her best patented Caged smirk. "It's cuz I learned from the best. Duh!"

Sonya laughs. "Sweetheart, don't goad your daddy. It hurts his feelings."

Cassie snorts again. "His feelings?" She cackles as Johnny gapes. "Pfft. Come along, Mama. Let's go make some toast together, mmkay?"

Sonya laughs as Cassie coaxes her off the bed by pulling on her hand. "Oh, so you're the boss today, huh?"

"Mmm hmm!" she agrees, dragging her out of the room. When they reach the bottom of the steps, Cassie wraps her arms around Sonya's legs. "Mama? Thank you very, very, very much for making me feel better."

Sonya bends down to meet her daughter's curious and big green eyes. Stroking her face with both hands, she says, "Anything for my little Punkin." She frowns. "Although you still feel a little warm to me."

Cassie raises her eyebrows at Sonya and Sonya groans, knowing she's about to be trapped by her tiny human. "If you stay home again, I will feel much better?"

"Okay, fine. You've convinced me, kiddo," she happily acquiesces.

* * *

**A/N:** Please review and let me know what you think! This is my first time writing Cassie as a little kid, so definitely let me know your thoughts!


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